This invention relates generally to portable computer systems. More particularly, this invention relates to portable electronic telecommunication devices, such as cellular telephones, and other portable telecommunications computers that include displays and have computer platforms that can execute programs for speech-to-text translation.
For hearing-impaired persons to communicate though a voice communications pathway, they typically use desk-top computer units that either receive a communication data stream from the communicating party or translate the actual words spoken by the communicating party and display the text to the hearing-impaired person. The hearing-impaired person has the text of the speech displayed to them, and can then either talk back to the communicating party if they are able, or the hearing-impaired can also have a text-to-speech conversion device that allows the person to type in text and the device translates the text into audible speech. The communication data stream can contain information that is meant to be interpreted by the device of the hearing-impaired person, such as data in a xe2x80x9cclosed-captionedxe2x80x9d format. The devices that allow this type of communication are quite large and typically are interconnected with a home telephone.
Moreover, computers such as home computers are often used to provide this interaction with telecommunications for the hearing-impaired. The home computer has a platform with software resident to interpret the speech or data stream and make the appropriate translation. The home computer can further include hardware and/or software to interpret the text input at the keyboard and translate the text into audible speech across the communication line.
In regard to speech-to-text conversion, there are several commercial software packages available that convert speech to text particularly for purposes of dictation and document generation. Examples of such software products that perform speech-to-text translation are xe2x80x9cDragonxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cVia Voicexe2x80x9d of IBM.
Portable telecommunication devices, such as cellular telephones, do not typically include means for usage by the hearing-impaired. Thus, the hearing-impaired cannot enjoy the benefits of readily portable telecommunications devices as they have no way to at least receive the speech communications from the communicating (calling) party.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a portable electronic telecommunication device that can use existing software and products to allow a hearing-impaired person to use the device to communicate.